Chapter 7: Shattered Glass

Not knowing what to say, Ruthie stared blankly out into the dark sky, completely forgetting Martin was sitting next to her.All she could think of was Simon and Cecilia.'How could he be so stupid?What where they thinking ... God what are they going to do?How are they going to tell Mom and Dad?...'

Martin just sat and watched her, growing more and more worried, about how fast she was beginning to breathe.He new that she barley noticed, when he jumped up and ran into the house,comming out moment's later with a glass of water for her.

"Here drink this." He said the stress and worry eveident in his voice, but never really reaching Ruthie's ear's.

Taking the glass, with shaking hand's, Ruthie came back to reality.She took a small drink of the water, and looked down to the ground.When she realized that Martin was holding her hand, she felt her heart stop.She dropped her glass and the noise of the shatter made her jump.Something in her broke and the tear's she had been fighting back, began to fall.

"Whoa, Ruthie it's ok it was just the glass." Quickly moving closer, he wrapped his free arm around her shoulder's, never once letting go of her hand. "Just here ... " He pulled her closer, and held her tighter."shh ... it's ok." Ruthie burried her face in his chest, and all he could think about was how right it felt,to be holding her.'I hate this ... I like her so much ... and she still think's of me as a "brother".' Martin was once again jerked from his thought's as Ruthie pulled back a little.

"Did you say something?" She asked breathlessly.

"What? No. I didn't say anyhting." Was his quiet but quick reply. 'Oh god, please tell me I didn't say that out loud.'

"Oh." She layed her head back down on his sholder.A few minutes later, brushing the tears from her eye's, she pulled completely away from his embrace,and turned to sit cross-leged on the bench, making it easier to see him.
"Martin ... I'm sorry." She kept her eye's locked on his, for reason unknown to her.

"For what?" Martin whispered, cought in the beauty of her glistening brown eye's.

"For yelling at you like that. When you said she was pregnant ... I automatically thought you..." Martin stopped her mid sentence.

"I already told you ... don't worry about it." He smiled at her, she smiled back and gave a small nod.

"What are they going to do?" Ruthie asked hesitantly.

"I don't know ... I'm not so sure they know yet.All she said was that, they would be coming down,and their going to tell your parent's." Martin was so cought in thoughts of the current situation, he almost missed the sudden look of worry, that wased over Ruthie's face.

"Oh god ... my dad.What about his heart?What if he can't handel it?" She asked quickly, and all in one breath.

"He'll be fine ... it's all going to be fine Ruth. I promise." Martin picked up the hand he had held previously, and squeezed it gentally, as to reassure her. Ruthie leaned over and shocked him when she wrapped her arm's around him, dropping his hand in the process, not that he was complaining.

"Thank-you." she wispered to him.

"For?" He asked a bit breathless, cause to their sudden closeness.

"Being such a great ... " 'great brother ... brother! He think's of you as a little sister.' "well just for being so great." realizing that she was still hugging him, Ruthie quickly pulled away."So uh. I'm gonna go get something to clean this glass up." Ruthie said nervously.

"No don't worry about it, I'll get it." Martin said sounding a bit disappointed at the sudden loss of, closness.

"You sure?I mean I don't mind, it's my fault it's broken anyway." She was trying to joke at her earlier clutzy action's. So Martin decided to play along.

"You know what, your right ... it was your fault.What was I thinking?" He got up off the bench, and took her hand's in his, pulling her on to her feet."Come on." Still holding her hand's, he pulled her along behind him, stopping in front of the door into the house."OK, your going to go upstair's and go to bed, I'm going to clean this up, and then I'll see you in the morning." Ruthie laughed softly, while he just watched her.

"Your sure?Because ..." She began.

"Positive. Now go!" He opened the door for her, all the while smiling what Ruthie now called his "million dollar smile"..

"OK OK I'm going." She laughed.Letting go of his hand's, she walked around him, stopping just inside the doorway. After a short pause, she turned around, stood up on her tip-toe's, and wrapped her arm's around his neck."Good-night Martin." After softly kissing him on the cheek, she let go of him.

Martin, who was a bit suprised by this, didn't know what to say.He felt his stomach doing flip-flop's, and his heart begin to pound hard in his chest, much like it had earlier that day. All he could to do was smile.

"Good-night Ruthie." He watched as she walked into the house and disappered behind the closed door.

Not knowing a whole lot about anything that had happend that day, there was one thing he new for sure, He was falling for Ruthie Camden.And he was falling hard!